The quickest way to block someone on Facebook

To block someone on Facebook, go to their profile, click the three dots in the top right corner, and select Block. On mobile, tap the three dots, then tap Block. Facebook will ask you to confirm — click Block again. That person can no longer see your profile, message you, add you as a friend, or find you in search results.

You can also block someone from a conversation. Open the message thread, tap or click the person's name at the top, scroll down, and select Block. The effect is the same either way — they're blocked from all Facebook contact with you.

If you change your mind, you can unblock them later. Go to Settings, click Privacy, scroll to Blocking, find their name in your blocked list, and click Unblock.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking someone removes them from your friends list, hides your profile from them, and stops them from messaging or finding you in search.
  • The person you block will not receive a notification that you blocked them, but they may notice they can no longer see your profile or send you messages.
  • You can block someone from their profile, from a message thread, or from your blocked list in Settings.
  • Blocking is different from unfriending — when you unfriend someone, they can still see your public posts and message you unless you also block them.

What happens when you block someone

When you block someone, Facebook removes them from your friends list immediately. They can no longer see your profile, posts, photos, or any information you've shared. If they search for you by name, your profile won't appear in their results.

The blocked person cannot send you messages, add you as a friend, see when you're online, or tag you in photos or posts. If you're both in a group, they still see the group but cannot see your comments or posts within it. They also cannot see your stories.

Facebook does not notify the person that you've blocked them. However, they may figure it out if they try to visit your profile and see an error message, or if they notice they can no longer message you.

Blocking versus unfriending — which one to use

Unfriending and blocking are not the same. When you unfriend someone, they're removed from your friends list, but they can still see your public posts, visit your profile (if it's set to public), and send you messages. Blocking is more complete — it hides everything and stops all contact.

Use unfriending if you simply want to end a friendship but don't mind if they see your public content. Use blocking if you want to prevent someone from contacting you or seeing anything about you at all. If someone is harassing you, blocking is the stronger choice.

You can also restrict someone instead of blocking or unfriending. Restricting limits what they see — they can still be your friend, but their messages go to a separate folder and they see fewer of your posts. This is useful if you want to keep someone as a friend but limit their access without the finality of blocking.

Blocking someone who keeps creating new accounts

If someone you've blocked creates a new Facebook account to contact you or view your profile, you can block that account too. Block each new account the same way you blocked the first one — from their profile or from a message.

If this becomes a pattern, report the behavior to Facebook. Go to the profile of the new account, click the three dots, and select Report. Choose It's pretending to be someone or impersonating or It's harassing me depending on what's happening. Facebook may remove the account if it violates their policies.

You can also tighten your privacy settings to make it harder for someone to contact you through new accounts. Go to Settings, click Privacy, and set Who can send you friend requests? to Friends only or Nobody. This won't stop them from viewing your public profile, but it prevents them from adding you as a friend.

Blocking someone in Messenger

You can block someone directly from Facebook Messenger without going to their profile. Open the conversation with that person, tap or click their name at the top of the chat, scroll down, and select Block. They will no longer be able to message you, and the conversation will disappear from your inbox.

When you block someone in Messenger, they're blocked on Facebook too — it's the same block across both platforms. If you later unblock them, they can message you again and the conversation history will reappear in your inbox.

What to do if you're being harassed or threatened

Blocking is a good first step if someone is harassing you, but it's not the only tool available. After you block them, report their behavior to Facebook. Go to their profile (or find a message they sent you), click the three dots, and select Report. Describe what happened — whether it's harassment, threats, hate speech, or something else.

If the harassment is severe or includes threats of violence, contact your local police department. Keep screenshots of the messages or posts as evidence. Facebook can provide information to law enforcement if there's a valid legal request.

You can also mute someone instead of blocking them if you want to reduce contact without a full block. Muting hides their posts from your feed and silences their notifications, but they can still see your public content and message you. This is useful if you want to step back from someone's activity without cutting off all contact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I blocked them?

Facebook doesn't send a notification, but they may figure it out. If they try to visit your profile, they'll see a message saying the profile isn't available. If they try to message you, their message won't go through. They won't see a message that says "you're blocked" — they'll just notice they can't reach you.

If I block someone, can they still see old messages between us?

No. When you block someone, they lose access to your message thread. The conversation disappears from their inbox. However, if they took screenshots of your messages before you blocked them, they still have those images. Blocking only removes their access to the live conversation on Facebook.

What's the difference between blocking and restricting?

Restricting limits what someone sees without removing them as a friend. They can still message you, but their messages go to a separate folder. Their posts appear less often in your feed, and they can't see when you're online. Blocking removes them entirely and stops all contact. Restricting is softer; blocking is complete.

Can I block someone without them being my friend?

Yes. You can block anyone on Facebook, whether they're your friend or not. If they're not your friend, blocking prevents them from sending you a friend request, messaging you, or finding your profile in search. You don't need to be connected to block someone.

If I unblock someone, do they know?

No. Facebook doesn't notify someone when you unblock them. They'll only know if they try to contact you and find that they can now send messages, or if they search for you and your profile appears again. Unblocking is silent on their end.